#IW #Cologne266,000 U 3 are missing across Germany #Kindergarten places

Wido Geis Thöne, Cologne, December 10, 2022

After years of widening the care gap, it has since closed somewhat. This is shown by a new study by the German Economic Institute (IW). However, it is questionable whether this trend will continue in the future: there are many indications that the problem could worsen again.

Who 2019 after a #Place in the kindergarden looking for their toddler had particularly bad cards: At that time, the gap in care was almost 360,000 places – a negative record. After a moderate decline of around 35,000 places in 2020, the gap fell to 266,000 by spring 2022. This is shown by a new IW study based on data from the Federal Statistical Office.

#Bremen solves #NRW as the taillight

The situation is particularly bad in Bremen at the moment: Although the percentage of childcare gaps has fallen from 19.7 percent to 16 percent since 2019, Bremen is replacing the previous bottom of North Rhine-Westphalia with this value. In the most populous federal state, the care gap is 13.9 percent – 3 years ago it was 6 percentage points more. Saxony is the leader with 3.3 percent, close behind Hamburg with 3.7 percent. Overall, all federal states were able to close the gap in childcare somewhat. There are three reasons for this: 1. the cities and municipalities have pushed ahead with the expansion of day care centers, 2. is the number of #Children under 3 years has fallen, as has the proportion of parents who were even looking for a childcare place due to the pandemic.

Trend likely not to last

Are the results now a reason for the all-clear? “No,” says IW study author Wido Geis Thöne. »Due to the corona pandemic, fewer childcare places were needed. In addition, many people from the #Ukraine Protection from the Russian war of aggression – including parents with their small children.« It is therefore difficult to estimate how the needs situation will develop in the coming years. However, the situation may deteriorate again.